Nancy O’Dell, the award-winning entertainment
journalist and Entertainment
Tonight coanchor, will host Broadcasting
& Cable’s 21st annual Hall of Fame awards ceremonies
at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New
York
on Oct. 26.
“I
am looking forward to the Hall of Fame evening
with great excitement,” O’Dell said. “The
Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame has paid tribute
to so
many of the biggest names in our industry—
to be a part of this prestigious event is both an
honor and a thrill.”
The annual black-tie event has recognized
more than 300 industry luminaries since its
founding. Headlining this year’s honorees are the
Emmy-Award winning Fox series American Idol;
actress/comedian Betty White, who will receive a
Lifetime Achievement Award for her singular 60-
year career; and Johnson & Johnson, which will
be recognized for its long history of outstanding
television programming.
The 2011 Hall of Fame inductees
also include (in alphabetical order): Joe
Abruzzese, president, advertising sales,
Discovery Communications; Ed Goren,
vice chairman, Fox Sports Media Group;
Ted Harbert, chairman, NBC Broadcasting,
NBCUniversal; Andrew T. Heller,
vice chairman, Turner Broadcasting System;
Michael L. LaJoie, executive vice
president and chief technology officer,
Time Warner Cable; John S. Muszynski,
chief investment officer, SMG Exchange
(SMGX); Tom Rutledge, chief operating
officer, Cablevision Systems Corp.; Nina
Tassler, president, CBS Entertainment;
and K. James Yager, CEO and cofounder, Barrington
Broadcasting Group.
O’Dell is no stranger to industry awards herself,
having received three Associated Press
Awards, two Society of Professional Journalists
Awards, an Emmy Award and seven additional
Emmy nominations.
With 20 years of live
television experience,
O’Dell is a frequent
host for live network
specials, including
Fox’s New Year’s Eve
special ringing in 2011;
the American Country
Awards; and the Golden
Globes Arrivals Special,
which she hosted for
10 consecutive years.
O’Dell joined Entertainment
Tonight last January
and this year also cohosted Your Own Show Oprah Winfrey’s OWN cable network, a reality
competition series in which 10 contestants vied
to headline a show on the channel.
O’Dell’s cohost for the B&C Hall of Fame evening
will be announced soon.
